In a quest to improve practice, I undertake regular reflection on lessons, both optimal and less than.  The snippet below provides an example of one reflective note I created yesterday.  Today, I implemented a number of the suggestions outlined below (I changed the seating plan,  I tried to 'hook them in' with an engaging video clip relevant to the lesson) and I do feel it impacted positively upon today's lesson. 

I received this note from a student in my English class today. She has difficulties processing information and I endeavour to make the necessary modifications and adaptations in class to support her learning. This note made my heart sing.

 I have serious concerns about what technology - specifically the smart phone - is doing to, or rather detracting from, our children's learning.  I see no benefits to allowing phones in schools (they are supposed to be away during class but this is almost impossible to enforce) and I see many problems.  

Primarily, I am concerned about what phone use is doing to children's attention spans. Concentration is fundamental for learning and mobile phones are designed to swallow our attention; we are training our children to fleet from one scene to the next and I can see evidence of this in the classroom.  I need to do more research into the evidence around this and I am looking forward to seeing what the Victorian school ban in 2020 will reveal.

Today was crap.  I had two goals with my Year 9 English class; that they would learn critical evaluation skills and that they would enjoy the lesson. I failed (absolutely) at both.   I was so preoccupied with my agenda  - following MY lesson plan - that I neglected their energy and circumstances and group dynamic. And so...the lesson was a failure.  The students were unruly, understandably disengaged and I was extremely frustrated.
Note to self; read the signs and remember the students are more important than the lesson plan.

I am struggling somewhat with the challenge of juggling the competing demands of teaching.  Specifically, the demands of balancing the needs of curriculum, assessment and reporting with the human side of teaching, and the need to make the content appealing, meaningful and FUN.   I guess this is something that I will become more fluid with as I grow in experience, knowledge and confidence. For now, I am trying to keep in the front of my mind, as I teach, that it is about their growth as learners (and individuals), not about my ticking boxes as a grad teacher. 
I am 'remembering my why!'.

My first week of teaching has flown by in a flurry of lesson delivery, reflection, planning, re-planning, phoning, writing, talking and listening.  It has been really interesting! I am enjoying secondary teaching far more than I had ever imagined. I find it intellectually more challenging than primary teaching and less taxing on me physically and mentally; I go home to my own children far less tired at the end of the day.  There is something refreshing about having short, intense bursts of learning with students and then not seeing them for a couple more days. 
I had previously assumed that secondary students lacked the pastoral care element that primary students have with their teachers, but this is not the case.  Infact, the school I am teaching in has an extensive safety net for students which includes subject teachers, form teachers, year heads, support staff including AIEOs and Clontarf Academy and Broome Girls Academy.  
I do feel that my experience working with ELD students is lacking and this is something I will bring to my mentor when we meet next.